Christian Husbands are called to lead…what does that mean?
I have not blogged much in the past 2 weeks since I have been focussing a lot on the accountability partnership course material – also I was a single dad last week while Teresa was out of town…so I did not have much time.
Recently I heard the song, “Lead Me” by Sanctus Real. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLr6G8Xy5uc&ob=av2e
Listening to this song got me to thinking…wow I messed up big time in my role as a leader of my family when I was younger. I knew that God expected me to lead my family. I knew that I was supposed to be the spiritual head of my home, but in all honesty I really did not live up to that title, nor did I really know what it meant. I am sure that there are more than a few Christian husbands who do not know what it really means to be this kind of a leader in the home.
Christian husbands and fathers have an amazing responsibility. If they are not good leaders and are weak, negligent and incompetent then the family and the church will suffer. As Christians we all agree that a man is to lead in his home and family. He is called to be the leader, the spiritual head. This is not a leadership of power, of domineering, of being authoritarian and so on, but God calls us to a headship that is too mirror the headship of Jesus Christ through unconditional love and sacrifice. This is the leadership shown by Jesus who, as Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings became a servant, suffered and bore the wrath of almighty God for the sake his loved ones, his bride – the Church – us.
As Paul says in Ephesians 5:22-33,
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Obviously, the Christian husband is to provide for his family. All the hardworking reformed Dutch tradesmen in our churches do not seem to have much problem with this part. We all know that we are responsible for ensuring that our family is fed, clothed, housed. That much we can all agree on. However a Christian Husband is also to provide physically, spiritually and more. The husband is to also protect his family. This does not mean standing at the door with a rifle in case someone tries to hurt them, no this includes, but goes way beyond, physical protection. As men we are called also to protect our families spiritually and emotionally. Satan seeks far more than just our physical hurt, he wants our souls. As husbands we are called to lead our family by protecting, loving, and providing for them.
I hope to expand on these topics in the blog in the near future.
